Let's get Spicy

Cooking your food instead of buying it at a restaurant or pre-made at a store is a great way to make your diet eco-friendly. However, the level of greeness in your kitchen all depends on the packaging of the ingredients - if it's all individually wrapped in plastic you might as well go out to eat. One way you can cut down on waste is to buy food in bulk, including spices.  If you are not someone who cares about the organic and fair trade part and want to start where you can,  hit up Winco...

Spices are a very easy way to make nothing much taste like something so I say give them a try.  When I started spicing up my life I started grabbing a couple new ones each time I went to the store and got creative in how to Incorporate them..  The one thing that makes spices a must for me is that I can make things taste a tad different so that vegetables stay fun to eat for my family.  Spices have a amazing history I actually read up on them on this website if you are interested 

http://www.asiawelcome.com/Spices_History.html
Some natural food stores, like co-ops for example, offer spices in bulk, allowing you to only buy the amount that you need. They provide little plastic bags, or you can bring your own containers/reuse old spice jars. Measure out the amount of spice you need, weight the container, and mark the weight and product code down. When the cashiers rings you up you won't believe how inexpensive the spices are!

Fair Trade is an economic model that ensures products are made by producers who receive a living wage, work in healthy, safe conditions and in many cases, employ environmentally sustainable processes. Fair Trade also tackles the issue of child slavery by guaranteeing that there is no abuse of child labor. For millions of farmers around the world, Fair Trade means thriving communities, kids in school, and a healthy environment. By purchasing and using Fair Trade products, you support the farmers who grow and deliver quality tea, cocoa, vanilla and sugar.
 But many spices are grown in monocultures that degrade land and encourage loss of biodiversity. Spice farmers are rarely paid a fair price for their products. And the products that make it onto grocery store shelves depend on artificial dyes and flavoring to trick even discerning palates.

To begin transitioning a spice cabinet to a better blend of seasonings, start looking for spices approved by FLO-CERT. The Germany-based company traces spices through the product supply chain to ensure that it's been fairly traded.

Growing yourself is also so rewarding, and drying them in the window makes yo house smell yummy!!  But for the rare ones or exotic ones try these places......


Places to buy bulk
Sacramento natural food Co-op
www.sacfoodcoop.com

Winco- although most are not organic

India Spices And Music

9059 Bruceville Road # 100

Elk Grove, CA 95758-5953


Davis Co-op

 Cordova based business see info below

http://www.starwest-botanicals.com/

Starwest Botanicals, Inc.
11253 Trade Center Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95742

 Online

http://www.spicesinc.com/t-organics.aspx?gclid=CJDzuoXmkKoCFakaQgodvWIu2A

Again Etsy is a fantastic place to shop to help small home based businesses, and you can pretty much guarantee there will be little packaging meaning less waste!!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76817967/organic-aged-vanilla-sugar-6-months?ref=sr_gallery_33&ga_ref=auto&ga_search_query=organic+spices&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

http://www.etsy.com/listing/58287004/1lb-organic-fair-trade-ginger-root?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_ref=auto&ga_search_query=organic+spices&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade



Let me know if you have any questions or anything to add... Thanks for reading and tread lightly....